Reuse of Polyethylene Terephthalate as a binding material in asphalt

Date

6-2018

Academic Strand

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strand

Adviser

Edengrace M. Callueng

Principal

Liza C. Carascal

Abstract

One of the common problems in the Philippines is the rampant plastic debris along streets, drainage canal, river bank and sea. Hence, in order to lessen the detrimental effect of plastic waste on the environment, current studies are now utilizing waste plastic in road construction. Moreover, the roads, particularly the asphalt pavements, which are usually deteriorate due to frequent passage of vehicles and moisture damage, are another problem. Thus, to improve the asphalt pavement quality, this study aims to reuse Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) as a binding material in asphalt road construction. The pavement volume of PET was varied and its effect to flexural strength and water absorption were determined. Four treatments, with 3 samples each, of varying percent volume of PET (0%, 5%, 10% and 20%) were designed. These were then tested using a Universal testing machine (UTM) and were later on subjected to water. Findings showed that the 0% treatment has the highest modulus of rupture and that there are no significant differences between the water proofing ability of the treatments. However, it was observed in the study that treatments with PET have better water repelling ability. On the other hand, the study showed that the usage of PET in hot mix asphalt (HMA) decreased the negative impact of plastic bottles in the environment as it offers an alternative life cycle for the plastic bottles removing landfills an oceans as sink. Moreover, it was found that using PET in asphalt production is cost-effective since it lessens the total cost of materials needed per kilometer of provincial road. For future researches. it is recommended to melt the plastic thoroughly to achieve a more homogenous mixture. It is also recommended to have further studies on the water repelling capacity of PET and to have a whole new study in the environmental impact of using PET in asphalt.

Language

English

Location

University of the Philippines Rural High School

Document Type

Capstone

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